We moved from a big US city to a small town in Southern Italy 12 years ago. Raising kids here isn't what I expected.
An American parent living in a small Italian town reflects on the cultural differences in child-rearing, noting that Italian children are granted significantly more independence than their American counterparts. The author explores the challenge of balancing American parenting values with the local Italian community's norms.
Why it matters
This personal account provides insight into how cultural environments shape child development and parental expectations regarding safety and autonomy.
I've learned a lot about being an American parent in Italy while living in our small town in the Calabria region. Elya Martseva/Getty Images I moved from the US to a small Italian town 12 years ago. Raising kids here has been surprising. In our town, kids seem to be way more independent and woven into adults' social lives. Ultimately, we're trying to keep some of our American values while adapting to the local culture. When my family moved from the United States to a small town in Southern Italy 12 years ago, I expected our children to grow up speaking another language and experiencing a different way of life. I didn't fully anticipate how much the move would challenge my ideas about parenting (in a good way).
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